At least the Dover City Council is aware of the upcoming contract, unlike in the past when former City Manager Paul C. Beecher would sign numerous give-away contracts behind their backs. That was long ago when the new City Manager trainee was the current one, Joyal.

At least one Dover City Councilor has reservations and this news article is designed to let her know she is on the outside of the ruling class, and probably uniformed.

Check out the first paragraph:

“The City Council passed a resolution Wednesday night authorizing City Manager Michael Joyal to sign a letter of intent for the Jenny Thompson Aquatic Center.”

The letter goes from “a” letter, as though it has not been finalized, to, “the” letter:

“The letter of intent, according to Councilor Karen Weston, is very important, giving Seacoast Swimming Association the ability to continue with its plans and move on to step number two, fundraising, after the group made its presentation to the council earlier this month.”

And if “the letter of intent” is so important, why doesn’t this article show why?

“The vote, according to Councilor Michael Crago, is to allow the council to “take this to the next level,” allowing the Seacoast Swimming Association to go forth with plans and begin fundraising to build the 47,000-square-foot facility, which will hold both a 50-meter indoor pool and a training pool.”

What level?

I like this part:

“It (the JTAC) would be a win-win for the city, so we need to give the city manager capability to give these folks the ability to go out and fundraise, and that is exactly what this (resolution) does,” Weston said.”

And now instead of “a or the” letter of intent, it looks like the “letter” is not really a teller at all but is an action really giving the City manager sole authority to make a deal with the non-profit.

So is this sloppy reporting or standard, foolish, Dover policy?

A few hundred thousand dollars from now, Dover taxpayers will find out.